STANDARDS OF PRACTICE

These Standards of Practice are designed to help and encourage individuals, organisations, institutions and health and human service providers who are interested in or are implementing an animal assisted intervention (AAI) programme. These standards are a minimum of what is needed to conduct an AAI programme for Animal Assisted Intervention International (AAII) members.

All programmes are encouraged to work at levels above the minimum standards, and should also meet any standards or regulations that are required by governing bodies for their region, and their home organisation.

This document is to be used in conjunction with the Standards for Health and Welfare of Dogs Working in a Range of Interventions and the General Standards of Practice for all interventions. This document specifically refers to dogs. Please refer to our Glossary of terms for definitions.

These standards are arranged in four parts covering:
1. Standards of practice for the dog handler
2. Standards of practice for the dog
3. General public issues
4. Evaluation